A Life Worth Giving
by riotfuledbyramen
Summary: Post-War. Everyone knew about the prophecy between the Dark Lord and Harry Potter. Few knew that it could have been Neville Longbottom. Fewer still knew it could have been Draco Malfoy. Eventual Draco Malfoy/ Hermione Granger.
1. Chapter 1

The war was over; the world was beginning to piece itself back together. Loved ones were buried, but never forgotten. Wounds were healed, but the scars would forever be there. Those accountable were brought to justice. Or so everyone thought.

Draco Malfoy was acquitted with his mother, Narcissa, on the grounds of saving the Boy-Who-Lived.

He thought otherwise.

He couldn't help but feel that it was his fault. His fault that his father was a soulless shell rotting in Azkaban; his fault that so many people died, his fault that Harry Potter grew up without a family and fought a battle that shouldn't have been his battle to fight. It was all his fault.

He would have never known how guilty he really was if it weren't for his late godfather, Severus Snape.

Severus had always told him everything, as terrible as it may have been, he didn't hold any secrets from him. When Draco was 15 he sought him out at school, which wasn't terribly uncommon, but it was a day forever burned into his mind.

He had known about the prophecy since the middle of his 5th year, but his involvement came much before then.

A 1st year Slytherin had come running into the common room with a piece of parchment in his hand and immediately thrust it into his hands and run like the devil himself was after him. It was a note from his godfather telling him to report to his office immediately.

Pansy Parkinson would not leave him alone, "But Draco," she whined, "Can't you see Professor Snape later?" he was trying to escape her clutches, unsuccessfully at that. "I haven't seen you in hours! And we must talk about our future!" He had been told that summer that he was expected to marry the clingy pug-faced girl and made the mistake of telling her. "No Pansy! Let go of me or I swear you won't have a future!"

20 minutes later he arrived in his godfather's office. "Sorry Uncle, Pansy wouldn't let go of me." His godfather chuckled at that. Or whatever you could call the noise that he made, he may be his godfather, but Severus Snape did not chuckle.

"Sit down Draco, we have much to discuss." He told him and handed him a cup of tea. After having thoroughly checking it for poisons, something his godfather had drilled into him since he was a boy, sat down and drank. Sometimes having an uncle who was a potions master was a blessing, he might not ever be poisoned.

Severus sat down and looked at his godson like he was looking at one of those ridiculous impressionism paintings that his mother was so fond of.

"Did I forget to put on my nose this morning Uncle?"

Damn, the boy caught on quick. He was very smart and intuitive to a fault.

"Draco," he sighed "I have always prided myself in being honest with you. But there is one thing I haven't told you."

Draco snorted, "What? Do you have a new girlfriend? Rather your first one?"

Severus silenced him with a glare. "This is not the time for joking, Draco. This is serious."

**I WISH MY NAME WAS J.K. ROWLING! But everything belongs to her, except the plot. That's mine, sorry Ms. Rowling you'll just have to keep your billions.**

**This is my first time actually letting someone else read my fanfics! I know this chapter is short and slow, but please bear with me! Reviews are much appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

**And on to the 2nd chapter! yay! Thank you to my small but mighty followers/ reviewers/ anonymous readers:) **

**I AM NOT J.K. ROWLING. Everything belongs to her except the plot, sorry Ms. Rowling, you'll just have to keep your billions.**

* * *

****"What I am about to show you is strictly confidential. You will _not _repeat this to anyone. Do I make myself understood Draco?"

"Of course Uncle." Draco sat up a little straighter, he had been expecting another lecture about growing up, but his Uncle had peaked his interest.

Severus brought a shimmering glass bowl out of a cabinet close to his desk. It looked like it was full of water, but there were black swirls racing madly about inside.

"New potion?" Draco was madly curious, he had never seen anything like this before, even growing up in the magical world.

"It's a pensieve, I trust you know what that is."

"Really? How on earth did you get one? They're nearly impossible to get, not even father has one." Then it came to him. Severus Snape may be his uncle, but he was a very powerful wizard with many connections, and a world renowned potions master, he probably made the pensieve.

Snape had given his godson a very pointed look, one that clearly said, 'Do you really have to ask?'

"It was a gift." Severus raised his wand to meet his temple, when he pulled it away it looked like he had grown grey hair.

"Is that how you get the memories then?" Draco thought aloud. His uncle merely raised an eyebrow.

"Right"

"What you are about to see is a memory, one of my own obviously, that only 3 people are aware of. Myself, Professor Dumbledore, and the Dark Lord. I trust you understand how vitally important this is?"

"Of course, Uncle."

"Good, stick your head in and I shall follow in a moment."

* * *

It was the most peculiar sensation, he had expected to feel the water, or whatever it was, but instead he was pitched forward and felt like he was falling. As quickly as it had begun, the feeling vanished and Draco found himself in the headmaster's study. Looking around he saw the headmaster and his uncle,

"Uncle Sev! What's happening?" his uncle didn't even register that he was there. "Uncle Severus!"

"Draco." He spun around to find his Uncle standing behind him, and in front of him.

"I don't understand, why are there two of you? Why won't you respond?!"

"I told you this was a memory, that is how I remember myself at the time, neither he nor Professor Dumbledore will hear you, but for now, watch and listen carefully."

* * *

Memory Dumbledore began to speak, "Severus, why are you here? Why should I not kill you where you stand?" Memory Severus looked like he was having a breakdown, "Please, you have to believe me. I never meant for this to happen, I didn't know it meant her. Please, I'll do anything, just save her!"

"The prophecy spoke of a boy, not a girl."

Memory Severus had collapsed to his knees and was sobbing by now. "It's her son! Lily, her son Harry."

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed to mere slits, he was angry, furious rather. The windows began to shake and all the candles went out.

"And do you know who's fault it is that the Dark Lord knows of this prophecy? Why he will stop at nothing to make sure the boy, Harry, and all of his family are dead? Tell me Severus! On whose shoulders does the responsibility lie?"

"Mine..." Memory Snape barely managed to whisper, he was the epitome of a defeated man.

"And had the Dark Lord known the prophecy in its entirety, he would have never marked him for death. Lily, James, and little Harry would not be in hiding at this very moment. Tell me now, Severus, why did you tell the Dark Lord? Why did you choose to follow him?"

"He promised me her." Snape said, "he said when he conquered Lily would be mine alone."

"You foolish boy." Dumbledore said softly, "you foolish, foolish boy. Tell me, would Lily have loved you if you were her captor? Would she ever forget James? Would she ever forgive you?"

"NO! But at least I would have her." Memory Snape was angry, he drew his wand. "I could have protected her."

"Funny how that works, you signed her death warrant." Memory Dumbledore disarmed him without a second glance.

"Please, sir, I'll do anything, I want out. I want her safe."

"Sit down Severus, we have much to discuss."

* * *

Suddenly Draco was thrown out of the pensieve and found him back in his uncle's office.

"What the hell was that? Are they talking about Potter? What's this about his mother then?"

Severus sighed, "Sit down, tea?"

Draco more or less fell into the chair, his mind was going a million miles a minute, trying to piece together everything from the memory. "I thought Dumbledore trusted you?"

"_Professor _Dumbledore does trust me, that memory is 14 years old."

"What's this prophecy you're talking about? I didn't know those were real. I thought it was just some crap Trelawney stewed up."

"Prophecies are very much real, Sybill Trelawney, as much of a fraud as she may appear has made 2 very real prophecies, one which plays quite a bit of importance in your life."

"What is it?" Draco was trying to wrap his head around this whole thing.

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."_

They both sat in silence for a couple of minutes, Draco's brain desperately trying to keep up, and Severus lost in his own memories.

"How on earth does that mean me? My parents haven't defied the Dark Lord, they worship him!"

"That brings us to our next memory." Severus pulled another memory out of his temple.

"After you."

* * *

They landed in what Draco recognized as his father's study, though it was empty. He briefly wondered what year he landed in this time when suddenly the door flew open, reveling his much younger mother and father.

"Lucius! We need to talk about this!" Narcissa fumed, her very pregnant belly almost throwing her off balance.

"Talk about what Narcissa? That your insane sister, who should be locked up in St. Mungo's has finally lost it?"

"Lucius, she threatened him." She said holding her stomach. "She threatened our baby."

"We are not following her to that insane bastard! You heard my father, you know what he's like! He'll just as soon kill Cepheus as save him."

Draco was thoroughly confused, he was an only child. Had his parents really meant to call him Cepheus?

The door slammed open again, this time a man who's face was hidden by his cloak entered.

"Who are you! What are you doing in my house? I demand you leave at once, you are breaking and entering!" Lucius cried drawing his wand and hiding his wife behind his back.

The cloaked figure merely cackled, "Lucius, those are very strong opinions you have, an insane bastard am I? I always knew Abraxas wasn't a truly devoted follower." The man lowered his hood, revealing none other than the Dark Lord. "No doubt he has poisoned your mind, ah never the less I shall leave you something to think about before you decide where your allegiance lies." His eyes seemed to change color before their eyes, from a brilliant blue to a ferocious red. "You shall learn to never anger me Lucius!"

Narcissa collapsed behind him, holding her stomach.

"Cissa!" Lucius cried, "What have you done?" He spat at the Dark Lord, only to find he had vanished.

"Lucius! It hurts so much! My baby!"

She paled, it was then that Lucius noticed all of the blood pooling around her.

Draco was standing in shock as everything turned to smoke and vanished.

* * *

**Hmmm...what an informative night for Draco it is! and i'm terribly sorry for ending it like this, but i truly love cliff hangers! And i need to get some sleep, I'm in a bit of a creative mood, so hopefully i'll get a chapter a day done until the weekend, I'm going to Kansas City for a conference! Thank you so much to my wonderful readers!**


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